Blind justice (that doesn’t see the inevitable context of any given event) isn’t justice. Such blind justice is plain old ignorance.

But the justice that sees (the justice that factors in the context) is no justice either. The justice without the blindfold – the justice that looks at you, sees you as you, and then judges you according to your perfectly imperfect limitations – is simply the bias of compassion.

To restate: blind justice is ignorance and justice that sees is bias.

So, what do we have here? A word “justice.” An empty word and a bit of old poetry: “Justice is just what is” (1).

The word “forgiveness” has a lot more existential resonance to my ear than the empty legalistic echo of the word “justice.”

References:

(1) Totem of Tautology: From a Sense of “i” to a Sense of Awe! (P. Somov)

Pavel Somov, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice and the author of 7 mindfulness-based self-help books. Several of his books have been translated into Chinese, Dutch & Portuguese. Somov is on the Advisory Board for the Mindfulness Project (London, UK). Somov's book website is www.pavelsomov.com and his practice website is www.drsomov.com

Marla Somova, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice and an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the co-author of "Smoke Free Smoke Break" (2011).